saralowry

Action research is taking the time to reflect on the activities that are going on around you. It can be done by administrators, teachers, and students. It involves inquiring about a concern or problem, surveying and collecting data, processing and analyzing the information, problem-solving to come up with solutions, and sharing the findings with colleagues. It forces you to focus on one issue at a time and work towards a solution for that one issue, not getting overwhelmed by a number of little things. A major aspect of action research is self-reflection. Dana (2009) states that “in a fashion similar to the ways teachers utilize this process to gain better understandings of themselves and their teaching practice, administrators can use it to gain deeper insights into their practice as administrators and the leadership role in school improvement efforts” (p.3). In my current position as a CTE teacher, I can use action research to reflect on my teaching methods in the classroom, as well as how I serve as a technology leader for my colleagues. For my action research project as part of this internship, I plan on investigating the use of blogs and other Web 2.0 tools in CTE and core classes. Another key factor in action research involves collaboration. I look forward to working with my colleagues and my classmates to conduct this research and find solutions to help our students.

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.